Corporate Development Originator-Upstream

Expand Energy

1d

About The Position

The Corporate Development Originator is responsible for identifying, sourcing, and driving strategic investment opportunities that support the company’s long-term growth objectives. This role focuses on building and maintaining deal pipelines, cultivating relationships with external partners, and evaluating new markets and emerging trends. The ideal candidate combines strategic vision, strong commercial instincts, and a deep understanding of M&A dynamics. They work closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to originate deals, assess strategic fit, and streamline the transaction process from initial outreach through deal execution.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to source and originate transactions, not just evaluate them
• Strong understanding of M&A processes, deal structures, valuation fundamentals, and strategic portfolio development
• Exceptional relationship‑building and networking skills with an established professional network
• Strong commercial instincts with the ability to identify high‑potential opportunities early
• Excellent communication and executive‑level presentation skills
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple opportunities simultaneously, and thrive in a fast‑moving, ambiguous environment
• Minimum: High school diploma or GED
• Minimum: 10+ years related work experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, consulting, or business development —preferably within the energy sector

Nice To Haves

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; MBA strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify, source, and originate strategic opportunities, including acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, minority investments, and emerging market plays
• Build and maintain a robust deal pipeline through industry networking, conferences, market monitoring, bank relationships, and direct outreach
• Develop a strong understanding of the competitive landscape to pinpoint high‑value targets aligned with corporate strategy
• Conduct preliminary strategic and financial assessments of opportunities before handing them off for detailed modeling and due diligence
• Collaborate with the Corporate Development Modelers, Strategy, and Finance teams to evaluate opportunity fit and prioritize the pipeline
• Facilitate early‑stage discussions, including NDAs, target qualification, and initial valuation conversation
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with investment banks, private equity firms, advisors, founders, and industry executives to stay informed on market activity
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders—Operations, Legal, Finance, HR, Engineering—to frame the strategic rationale of each opportunity
• Track and communicate market trends, competitive shifts, and strategic threats/opportunities to senior leadership
• Prepare and deliver high‑impact presentations for executive leadership and the Board regarding target companies, market analyses, and deal pipeline updates
• Support negotiation strategy and transaction structuring in collaboration with deal execution teams

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED